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A agua batia no joelho

English translation: The water was knee-deep

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Portuguese term or phrase:A agua batia no joelho
English translation:The water was knee-deep
Entered by: Natalie

10:18 Nov 22, 2001
Portuguese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Literature
Portuguese term or phrase: A agua batia no joelho
Can I translate this directly? "The water hit my his knees"

(a boy is walking by the seashore)
DR Bercera
Colombia
Local time: 12:50
The water was knee-deep
Explanation:
I think this would be better in a literary context. ok?
Selected response from:

M.L (X)
Local time: 18:50
Grading comment
I go with the majority... Thanks to all of you.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +3The water was knee-deep
M.L (X)
4 +3The water was up to his knees.
jsavage
5 +1the water came up to his knees
lexical
5The water was reaching/ reached his knees
TransHispania
4The water rippled against my knees
Serge L


  

Answers


1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
The water was knee-deep


Explanation:
I think this would be better in a literary context. ok?

M.L (X)
Local time: 18:50
PRO pts in category: 16
Grading comment
I go with the majority... Thanks to all of you.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Cristina Knutzon
21 mins
agree  airmailrpl
14 hrs
agree  Maria Eugenia Farre
22 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
The water was reaching/ reached his knees


Explanation:
Probably it would be better to say "reached his knees".










TransHispania
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish, Native in FrenchFrench
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
The water rippled against my knees


Explanation:
That how I would say it...

HTH,

Serge L.


    experience
Serge L
Local time: 19:50
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
The water was up to his knees.


Explanation:
Also possible.

jsavage
Local time: 18:50
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  José Henrique Lamensdorf: Just check whose are those ("my his") knees!
37 mins
agree  Clarice Guelfi (X): Is it "my" or "his"? This is the way I'd do it
6 hrs
agree  bohana: Yep. The best one so far in my opinion.
14 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
the water came up to his knees


Explanation:
Better than "reached to his knees"
But this only describes the DEPTH of the water, not it's behaviour. If the important thing is WHAT THE WATER WAS DOING, you might try "the water slapped against his knees".

lexical
Spain
Local time: 19:50
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Neeharika Lorimer
3 hrs
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